Animated Jazz

Series: Animated
Allegiance: Autobot
Categories: Deluxe
Year: 2008

Cybertron is cool, but Earth rules.
Autobot Jazz has studied Earth culture since he first became aware of it. He loves everything about it - the music, the movies, the vehicles, and - of course - the style. He's usually a pretty chill guy, being a cyber-ninja and all, but he can barely contain his excitement at finally getting to check out Earth and give his new vehicle mode a spin. His excitement won't make him forget his duty, however. He is a master of hand-to-hand combat, with the fastest fists on Cybertron.

Robot Mode: In some ways Jazz is just another Car-Transformer. We've seen the hood-as-chest thing a thousand times by now. But while the basic design isn't particularly innovative, the execution is pretty well done. Despite his rather broad chest Jazz looks very lean and the combination of white, black, and grey makes it seem as if he's wearing some kind of runner's track suit. In fact Jazz as a whole looks very much like an Olympic athlete, ready to run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds.

As befits someone described as a cyber-ninja, Jazz is a very posable, very dynamic robot. His weapons consist of two nunchaku or nunchucks, however you want to call them. Two sticks connected by a length of chain (or string, in this case). The nunchaku are made from the additional exhaust pipes that usually sit on Jazz' forearms (the doors of this car mode). Jazz can do some pretty mean poses with them and though I'd never have thought 'Jazz' and 'nunchaku' would go together, he looks pretty neat with them.

So the bottom line for the robot mode is simple: An old-fashioned, but somehow refreshingly executed robot design with some nice elements and no obvious flaws. Pretty good.

Alternate Mode: Jazz transforms into a low-riding sports car, tuned-up with extra exhaust pipes on the sides, strange, almost missile-shaped side mirrors and raised rear fenders for the brake lights. When I see this car mode I'm rather strongly reminded of Speed Racer and the kinds of race cars featured in that cartoon series.

The car is well done, but I can't really think of anything else to write about here. No gimmicks, the weapons can only be used as exhaust pipes, and rolling Jazz across the floor is pretty much it as far as play value goes in this mode. So bottom line: A good vehicle mode. That's it.

Remarks: Jazz was one of my favourite characters in G1 and though his appearances in Animated have been few so far, he still came across as cool as ever. He's fascinated with Earth culture and his exchange with Bulkhead was an instant classic to me:

Jazz: Man, that was some freakin' funky coloured light show. What do you call those things again?
Bulkhead: Traffic lights.
Jazz: Traffic lights. Solid!

As a figure Jazz is nothing spectacular, but a good, solid execution of an old-fashioned design with a nice style and superb posability. Not the best Animated figure yet, but a good, no-nonsense Autobot. Recommended to all Jazz fans and fans of car-style Transformers.

Rating: B+